First drive: 2015 Audi A3 sedan

By Gabriel Gélinas, Postmedia News

Originally published: July 3, 2013

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BUDAPEST — Competition is heating up in the compact luxury segment, as evidenced by the recent launch of the Mercedes-Benz CLA and the third-generation Audi A3, slated to arrive in Canada for April 2014 as a 2015 model. By introducing a sedan designed specifically to appeal to consumers in the two biggest car markets of China and North America, Audi hopes to double its A3 sales, which currently account for 20% of the automaker’s volume worldwide.

Replacing the current, very practical five-door hatchback with this new sedan also means that Audi is adopting a different strategy for the A3, moving it upmarket and clearing the way for the arrival of the A1, a smaller hatchback already on European roads that is expected to become the brand’s new entry-level car for North America.

The new A3 sedan was penned by Canadian designer Dany Garand — who hails from Sherbrooke, Que., and has been working in Audi’s design department for many years — and its dimensions and proportions are remarkably similar to those of the first-generation A4 introduced in 1994. At first glance, you could almost say that the new A3 is a 7/8th scale version of the current A4 and casual onlookers will have trouble telling both cars apart. The large singleframe grille, the sculpted flanks with the Audi signature contour Tornado line and the trunklid spoiler all contribute to create a sporty yet somewhat understated and classic shape with a 0.29 drag coefficient. Audi is currently very big on headlight design and technology and the new A3 will be available with full LED headlights.

For the Canadian market, Audi will offer a choice between three turbocharged four-cylinder engines, two gas-powered and one diesel. The 1.8-litre gasoline engine and the 2.0L TDI diesel will be paired with front-wheel drive while the 2.0L gasoline engine will equip all-wheel-drive A3s. All models will also exclusively feature the six-speed S Tronic dual-clutch gearbox, as the six-speed manual has been dropped from the catalog for North America even though it will remain a fixture for the European markets. High-performance will be added to the mix in the guise of the 300-horsepower S3 variant, which will also arrive in the spring of 2014 (you can expect to read about it here next November). The five-door configuration will also eventually return to North America one year behind the A3 sedan as a dedicated plug-in hybrid model with a combined output of 204 hp supplied by a 1.4L engine as well as an electric motor.

At the car’s launch in Budapest, we drove the A3 sedan powered by the 1.8L gasoline engine, as well as the 2.0L TDI, but not the 2.0L gasoline engine, as production of that particular powerplant had not yet begun. With the 178-hp 1.8L TFSI engine, the A3 proves to be an able and competent performer as the engine delivers its maximum torque of 184 pound-feet on a very flat torque curve between 1,250 and 5,000 rpm. It still takes 7.3 seconds to get to 100 kilometers per hour from a standing start, but the engine is very willing and the A3’s performance is more than adequate, as the torque remains relatively constant making passing manoeuvres on secondary roads easy.

With the S Tronic dual-clutch gearbox, the A3 shines. The gearbox is very smooth and refined and the car is happy to flex its muscles in the lower gears as the engine gets close to its maximum revs while highway cruising at low revs in the highest gear is a very relaxed affair.

Fuel consumption is rated at a remarkable 5.6 litres per 100 kilometers average on the notoriously optimistic European fuel consumption cycle and although we can expect a higher fuel consumption rate in real-world conditions in Canada, the A3 will still impress in that regard. The 2.0L diesel is even better, as it is rated at 4.1 L/100 km, while being remarkably smooth and hushed at cruising speeds. Torque is more abundant here than on the 1.8L gasoline engine (the rating is 236 lb-ft between 1,750 and 3,000 rpm) and the engine delivers good performance while in that mid-range sweet spot, but the diesel-powered A3 is slower on the run up to 100 kilometers per hour with its 8.7-second time. One of the key attributes of the A3 is its extended use of lightweight materials, such as aluminium, which is used for the hood and various components. With the TDI engine, the car weighs only 1,315 kilograms. At 1,295 kg when powered by the 1.8L TFSI engine, it’s even lighter, which helps the A3 get such admirable fuel efficiency.

In terms of ride and handling, the A3 is not a car that will challenge you to attack the next highway off-ramp, as the electrically assisted steering, while very precise, does not provide much feedback, which makes the handling feel uninspired. With the Audi Drive Select system, you can tailor the car’s dynamic responses to your liking and the A3 is happy to cruise along at a more than decent pace with a ride quality that remains on the firm side while still displaying good road manners. As can be expected, the new A3 can be loaded with optional driver assistance systems such as Side Assist for blind spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control.

Inside the cabin, the A3 is typical of other Audi products, as the assembly quality is first rate. However the large one-piece section that sits atop the dashboard is made of the same material that is used in the Volkswagen Golf GTI and although the styling is different, this piece looks more at home in a Volkswagen than in an Audi. A high-definition seven-inch colour screen rises from the dash on startup and is linked to the Muliti Media Interface, which now features a larger rotary controller with a more intuitive feel. The cargo space is very good at 15 cubic feet, and folding the rear seatbacks will increase capacity to 31 cu. ft.

With a combination of classic good looks, more than adequate performance and good fuel economy, the new A3 should do well in Canada. No pricing information has been released yet, but pricing will be set closer to the car’s market launch in Canada next spring.